My Soapbox for Equestrian Writings
William Fox-Pitt rode Fernhill Pimms in a lovely relaxed test to tie for first place with Michael Jung after dressage. You would never know that it was the horse’s first 4*. You can watch his test on Burghley TV.
Read MoreThe text under the video asks, “Are you brave enough?” Not me! This looks like a wickedly difficult course. The video above shows the “fast” route through. The Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials started. All horses/pairs were accepted during the first presentation. Some of those horses are very fit and frisky. During the first day […]
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While PETA horrified the world with video from the shedrow at Steve Asmussen’s racing barn, the abuse that Big Lick Walking Horses (the high stepping subset of Tennessee Walkers) suffer has mostly gone under the radar, even though, by most accounts, it’s far more pervasive and far more severe. Many of the top show […]
Read MoreSaratoga is known as “The Graveyard of Champions” because of the number of upsets that have occurred on that track. Man O’ War was beaten by Upset in the Sanford Memorial Stakes in 1919. Triple Crown winner Gallant Fox was beaten by Jim Dandy in the 1930 Travers Stakes. Secretariat was upset by Onion in […]
Read MoreZelda hates bugs. She hates bugs more than any other horse I’ve ridden. The days when we are beset with deer flies she bucks and stamps and shakes her head even if she is literally dipped in fly spray before we leave! Mostly I’ve been riding her in the dressage ring at the barn or […]
Read MoreSometimes those big jumper courses can get confusing . . . at least that was probably the excuse of the jump crew when they ended up standing IN FRONT of a jump that Susie Hutchinson and Samsung Woodstock were trying to jump in the 1993 Volvo FEI World Cup Final. I’m not sure what’s more […]
Read MoreWhen I was a kid, saddle pads were used primarily to keep your saddle clean. They were thin pieces of cloth, mostly white. Now? Saddle pads are therapeutic. They have pockets for shims to improve the fit of saddles. They provide non-slip surfaces. They absorb shock. And they can help keep your horse’s back cool […]
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